Women’s soccer league is truly ‘ayoba’
The current league is being played in a round-robin format, with matches of 60 minutes, divided into two halves with a 10-minute break.
The Ayoba School Women’s League continues to unearth new soccer talent in the greater Endumeni area.
Now in its second year, the league began last year with five school and now boasts teams representing Dundee High School, Dundee Secondary School, Ethangeni Combined School, ML Sultan Secondary School, Thalana High School and two teams from Sarel Cilliers High School.
Department of Education representative, Mr Khumalo said, “I’m very happy to be part of a successful event like this one. This is the second year Sifiso Dlamini is leading us in a crucial game called women’s football. Last year, I was just sitting and watching the games and I said to myself we’ve been looking down on women’s football. The young women were part of the games and they were devoted to them, and we will support the leaders of this event.”
Mr Khumalo said from the league, he wanted to visit municipalities within the Umzinyathi District and tell them how Ayoba was changing the face of women’s sport and growing women’s soccer.
The current league is being played in a round-robin format, with matches of 60 minutes, divided into two halves and including a 10-minute break. The top four teams will then advance to the semi-finals and final.
Chairman of School Sports in Endumeni, Mr Ngcobo added, “The event is helping close the gap in a lot of challenges, and is helping us in school sports. It showed when 18 girls, who took part in the event, went for the provincial school Winter Games selections and three of them made it into the KZN team. I’m lost for words, due to the impact this event is making on the community. I am pleading with business owners and other sponsors to help these young girls, who have dreamed of making it to the provincial team.”
Sifiso Dlamini, architect of Ayoba, has since announced this year’s event will incorporate a green carpet event (award function), where young women will be rewarded with prizes for their hard work on the pitch. A main prize will be a bursary for a learner’s licence, paid for by the league.
RELATED STORY: Ayoba is changing lives through sport
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at dundee.courier@caxton.co.za. Add us on WhatsApp 071 277 1394.
